Perry says attacks on Mitt fair game

1/15/12 10:16 AM EST

Though influential conservatives have criticized attacks on the former Massachusetts governor on his history at Bain Capital, Perry said it’s better to air out Romney’s flaw now rather than later.

“If it is a fatal flaw, then we need to talk about it now,” the Texas governor said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

“We’re going to get tested by Obama and his group so you better have all of these answers done early,” he added. “No surprises in September or October.”

Perry, who’s trying to jolt his struggling campaign, ducked the question of whether he would drop out of the race if he didn’t win nor come close in South Carolina's GOP presidential primary next Saturday.

“It’s our intention to win South Carolina and go forward from there,” said Perry, saying retail politics in the state have been “awesome.”